Dr. Mike Williams, Director of the Animal and Poultry Waste Management Center and Professor of Poultry Science at N.C. State University, says that technology now exists that could improve the environmental sustainability of the state’s animal agriculture industry. While this technology exists, the environmental benefits are being delayed “due to reasons other than legitimate and well-documented environmental or economic concerns.”

His comments were published in an opinion column (Moving ahead with energy from wastes, September 22, 2009) in The News & Observer.

“Technology to convert animal waste to energy is available, and policies are in place to encourage its implementation. However, progress has been delayed — and for reasons that may not be based on objective considerations,” Williams says.

He specifically mentions Fibrowatt’s proven technology, saying “this is not a new technology — it is one with an extensive operational and environmental performance record.”

Williams says he has visited the United Kingdom to see this technology at work at several plants and has reviewed emission data for those plants. “I also visited with many residents in the communities around the plants. These observations indicated that emission standards were being met and that the company was considered a good neighbor by all of the individuals I spoke with (none of whom were company employees).”

Click here to read the entire text of Williams’ article.